Initial statements were unclear on what Wizarding World Digital aimed to achieve. However, Neil Blair, J.K. Rowling's agent and Pottermore chairman, claimed that this venture was Pottermore's long-term aim, and partnering with Warner Bros., the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts film rights-holders, would allow them to "widen and deepen" the scope of what Pottermore had so far been able to achieve. Whilst the site started as an immersive platform for Harry Potter fans to explore the book series in 2012, the site moved to more of a standard website with few interactive features (such as the Sorting quiz) in 2015.

The venture marks a new direction for the rights holders. From its earliest days, Harry Potter has been a phenomenon on the internet, and its fans have played a crucial role in transforming digital communities. From fan sites, fan fiction and online discussion forums, to J.K. Rowling's official website and eventually Pottermore.com, it's entirely possible to track the progress of innovation in the digital realm through this franchise. Wizarding World Digital claims to be crafting the next step in this journey.

In another official statement, a Wizarding World Digital spokesperson said that "no digital experience stands still", and hinted at more to come on this new platform. A spokesperson clarified the current status of the venture:

Since we launched Pottermore in 2012, the digital landscape has evolved. We want to make it easier for fans to experience and travel through the Wizarding World. To this end, Wizarding World Digital are working on a broad range of new digital experiences all of which are at different stages of research and development. As announced last week, the new venture will make our content and experiences accessible to the broadest possible audience of Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts fans.

We are working hard creating a range of products that we hope will surprise and delight fans. Whilst one of these explores a premium concept, the vast majority of the experiences in development are free. We are excited about the next phase of our digital journey and will officially release more information soon.

WizardingWorld.com, launched May 16 2019 by Wizarding World Digital, a joint venture between Pottermore and Warner Bros.

Wizarding World Digital

WizardingWorld.com launched today as the hub for these new experiences, allowing old users to move their Pottermore.com accounts to their new database, and inviting visitors to register for their Wizarding World Passport. The passport is a digital ID card, combining the Hogwarts House, Patronus and wand type of each user, as well as their favourite features of J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World (such as characters, Quidditch teams or spells).

This digital passport, accessed via logging into the website, will allow users to “be recognised in the real and digital world" and "take your Wizarding World traits with you wherever you go." What that means exactly is unclear, but it's suggested that Wizarding World Digital is building experiences that move far beyond a single website. If a paid subscription aspect of the site does come into play, it will be interesting to see how this information is used to potentially sell to fans based on their selections, and how these digital passports will influence user experience in future.

WizardingWorld.com will bring together not only content displayed on Pottermore.com (such as writing by J.K. Rowling not seen in the Harry Potter series or companion books), but will also look to bring new experiences to fans. Discussions of products, experiences and concepts still in research and development keep this venture on the digital map for years to come. Whether fans will be happy to pay for a possible subscriber element, however, is a different matter.

No further official information on the future of Wizarding World Digital is currently available.